John Aaron/sheet
Skills Powers and Abilities Superhuman Strength - Ares is among the mightiest of the Olympian gods, able to lift roughly 70 tons. In terms of raw physical strength, only Hades and Poseidon match him, and Hercules and Zeus exceed him. Superhuman Durability - Ares is exceptionally durable, being able to withstand extended combat with the mightiest of Gods (such as Thor). He's highly resistant to extremes of temperature (He has, in the past, lit himself on fire before launching himself at the enemy) and even radiation. A full clip of .45 caliber ammunition right to his face barely makes him blink. Heavy Artillery is lucky if it can knock the wind out of him. Most conventional weaponry is useless against him. Only the attacks of beings with great superhuman strength and/or wielding magical weaponry of considerable power (particularly of the variety created by Gods) is typically able to do him harm. It takes a lot to hurt him, in other words. Superhuman Speed - Ares can run at speeds of up to about 80 miles per hour, and can leap about 200 meters into the air straight up or approximately a mile lengthwise with a running start. Superhuman Agility - Ares agility is beyond the realm of human capability, being about 3-5 times more agile than even the greatest human athlete. He has little formal training in gymnastics or the like but his natural agility is enough to allow him to perform surprisingly evasive and acrobatic maneuvers on raw agility alone. He's far more light on his feet than folks would expect someone of his size and bulk to be. Superhuman Reflexes - Ares' reflexes are also beyond the realm of humanity. He can dodge gunfire or even deflect it with his melee weaponry, even at close range, and often acts before others can react in combat. He's not on the level of say, Spider-Man, but he's close enough that he could likely tag the wall-crawler in a fight. Specials Resources, Gear, and Paraphernalia Flaws and Drawbacks Relationships Alexander Aaron - My son. I've had other children, but he is the first I've given any care to. I've tried to raise him as a mortal, but that was like a wolf teaching a lamb to graze. Now he has come into his power, or begun to, and it has made some things easier, but others more difficult. I...love him. I wish to be a better father to him than mine was to me, but I am not certain of how often I succeed. Sometimes I cannot help but wonder if he would be better served in the care of another. Other Children '''- I took many lovers in the older days: Goddesses, nymphs, and mortals alike. I sired many offspring from them. Some of my divine offspring were occasional companions in battle. Some of the divine were estranged from me due to natures greatly opposed to my own. Some of the mortals went on to found kingdoms and tribes such as the Amazon and Spartoi. And I was truly close with none of them. Love never kindled. Ironic given how many of them called the Goddess of Love mother. '''Zeus - My father, the King of Olympus. A hypocritical old lecher who bade me be the God of War and then grew ashamed that war was not a clean and honorable business. I have never held his favor, not truly, though the crafty old goat will occasionally feign it to entreat me to again do his bidding. No more. I am through with this old wretch, and should he seek to ensnare my son with his scheming and machinations, then I WILL find a way to kill him for it. I hate him for many reasons, and I hate myself that I know some part of me would still yearn to find favor in his eyes. Hera - My mother, the Queen of Olympus, at least in name. I suppose in some fashion I do still bear some tiny shred of affection for her as my mother, for she was kind when I was a youth, and as a younger man we shared an antipathy for both my father and my half-brother Hercules. But she is ever-scheming, and between casting the blame for her failures upon me, and so quickly changing her allegiance at the merest sign that Zeus might grant her favor, or more likely that she might avoid his wrath, we have long since become estranged. I hate her less than many, but there is little love that remains between us. Hercules - My hated half-brother. I have killed many, but not my own wife and children. Yet Hercules has done the latter and is still hailed the greatest hero of Olympus. He regularly abandons Olympus to sate his lechery and drunkenness, and yet is welcomed home each time he returns. He bears my father's favor and affection and has not slain so much as a quarter of the enemies of Olympus as I have. I have hated him since he slew my Stymphalian Birds, and I hate him still, for he receives all that should be mine, without so much as asking. Aphrodite - We were in love once, in the days of old between her arrival to Olympus and her wedding. Then she wed Hephaestus, and we were still in love. She bore me several children, but in time I came to know how fickle her favor could be, and how Narcissus would weep not just for being outshone in beauty, but in the very vanity to which he gave his name. Our ardor cooled after Hephaestus learned of our affair and their marriage dissolved. Even so, I cannot bring myself to hate her, for she is love, and beauty, and even a God of War cannot defend himself fully from such charms. Athena - My sister is exceedingly clever, which is about all the good that I can say of her. She calls herself a Goddess of War. Goddess of pointless bureaucracy and plans that never last beyond the first blow, perhaps. She deludes herself into thinking that War can be about honor and glory, when I have long known that War is blood and death and all else is but an illusion that others comfort themselves with against that harsh truth. And yet our father favors her above all but a few. I suppose he too finds the illusion comforting. Hephaestus - We may both know what it is to be an outcast among the Olympians, but that does not bring us close. In fairness, I did cuckold him for the duration of his marriage to Aphrodite. Still, I cannot hate him for his humiliation of me in the events that followed, for I would have done the same or worse. I do not know that has or ever will forgive me, but he has since forged me mighty weapons and armor, and his work has no peer. Eris - My sister and most reliable companion on the battlefield and occasionally the bedchamber (Spare me your feeble mortal whinging about taboos, we Olympians don't have them). It has been long since I saw her, but of all who hail from Olympus, it would be she alone that I would still retain some unconditional measure of love and affection towards, for she was among the few that I would truly have called my friend among the Gods. Hebe '''- My younger sister, the Goddess of Youth, and wife to the hated Hercules. Despite the mountain of indignity the drunken buffoon heaps upon her with his rampant lechery and constant abandonment, she still loves him. I cannot bring myself to hate one so beautiful, gentle, and kind as Hebe, but her soft heart for that oaf disgusts me. '''Nike - The Goddess of Victory and I often found common cause and purpose. Another for whom I bear no hatred, even if we were not bound by bonds of deep friendship. Poseidon - My Uncle knows what it is to be apart from Olympus and feel as though he did not receive his full due. He aided me when Hephaestus ensnared myself and Aphrodite, and while I repayed that debt later, I still bear him respect. He largely keeps to himself, though. Hades - My other uncle. Many times we were in alliance against Zeus and the other Olympians, and many times he promised me the respect that I was due. In time I came to realize he was no better than my father, however, and only sought to use me to further his own designs. When last we met, it was as enemies, and I humbled him despite his power and the mighty army of the dead he commanded. No doubt he will bear me ill will for that, but I care little. I would beat him again if I must. Other Olympians - Fuck you (Apollo), Fuck you (Hermes), I don't hate you (Hestia), I only hate you a little (Artemis), You're all right (Dionysus), and I don't hate you except in winter, when I do (Demeter). Followers - The only regret I have in abandoning Olympus was that it also meant abandoning those few that retained their faith in me, such as Achilles and Hippolyta. I hope they have fared well enough in my absence. Amora - She's trouble, but the best kind. We have occasionally been partners of convenience in schemes against Thor and Hercules. Still, she is clearly smitten by the Thunder God, and so our alliances are usually brief. Pity, as she's a beauty that could rival Aphrodite, and if it was attention she sought, I'd have gladly given her a tumble for far less trouble. But I suppose that's the point, for her. What is it with people obsessing over the one thing they cannot have instead of appreciating what they could? Loki - More trouble than Amora without the utterly glorious bosom and hips to keep me entertained. Best not bothered with lest he ensnare me in some scheme, though it might be fun to point him at Athena and see them try to out-clever each other. Thor - The Odinson is a mighty warrior indeed. He also knows honor and respect. While I would not deny that I'd love to humble him in a rematch, I find that being bested by the God of Thunder is not so galling as it would be with others, and take some satisfaction in knowing that despite his superior strength and power, I have sorely tested him the few times we've clashed. 'Francis Barton '- This boy leads my son into trouble and thinks I do not see it. Thankfully all it takes is a hard look and he is easily sent scurrying. Still, a little trouble is to be expected of boys, I am told. However my patience for that sort of foolishness is limited, even when it comes to my own son.